The Red Butterfly Meets The Zodiac God
by NextNothingNew
Summary: Set when Tohru was younger, and Kyoko was still alive. Kyoko finds the hole in the wall of the Sohma family, and upon investigation, meets an aggrieved Akito Sohma. Oneshot.


A/N: I wrote this awhile ago, and was reading Akito and Tohru fan fiction, yes? Then I remembered this! So. Tell me how it is. It's Akito and Kyoko interaction, long ago.

Disclaimer: Fruits Basket and all it's dysfunctional characters are property of Takeya Sensei.

Sob

Kyoko paused, the Red Butterfly looking more like a cat, her mid length orange hair slipping over her shoulder in her defensive stance. She was, after all, trespassing.

_Uh oh,_ she thought. Someone - a child, it sounded like - let out a wail, followed by silence. Another weak cry came, and she thought _uh oh_ once more, out of concern. Kyoko felt a twinge in her chest, thinking of Tohru. Tohru was at home, sleeping, as today was a lazy, warm Sunday.

She crept through the bushes, pushing thin leaf covered twigs out of the way, until she encountered trees, and peeked cautiously between large braches. She vaguely recalled the fact that it was supposed to be a _lazy_ Sunday.

In stead of watching TV, or sleeping next to her precious, darling Tohru, she had chosen to crawl through a damn hole in the wall she'd stumbled upon by accident. She edged hesitantly closer, listening to stifled little sobs.

Next to a silver hued pond, not one she'd seen a bit ago next to porch, but one in the middle of a clearing in trees and bamboo, she could see a small shivering form.

"Oh," she said softly.

The form was that of a small boy, pale and thin, in a stark white kimono flecked with dark red flares of flowers and petal, and underneath was a robe that matched the flowers.

Dark black hair stood out against all that white.

Kyoko moved out from her hiding place. The little boy - he could have only been about four years older than her Tohru - was crouched there, crying quietly. He sniffed softly, and she stepped over the tiny pond to him.

He froze, as she was directly behind, and he had caught sight of her shadow.

----------

_Who-?_ _A housekeeper? Shigure?_ Akito was mortified and angry that a mere housekeeper had caught him like this. If he was lucky, it would be Shigure. Akito turned slightly, still on the ground as if it anchored him there, pale feet pressed to green blades to see-

----------

"Hello there." Kyoko knelt next to the boy, leaning her head on the back of her wrist, cocked to the side as she offered a smile. "What's wrong? Lost your way?"

----------

Akito was so startled that he fell back, staring at the unknown woman, tears left unchecked that still streamed down his cheeks, but still for the moment.

She was most definitely _not_ a housekeeper.

She kneeling before him, grinning a little, hair falling over her eyes, taking on the appearance of a mischievous teenager.

And she had the same hair color as the Cat.

----------

The child sniffed, a new tear on the verge of falling. He blinked, catching it in his lashes. He shook his head, but she knew it was not an answer to her question. This was followed by more aggravated, anguished sobs.

"I-I don't…want…to-to-" he made a choking sound here, "-to _die!_ " He buried his face in his hands, frame shaking. Kyoko's eyes widened; she didn't know what he meant, but she _did know_ that he was a scared child in need of comfort.

Akito let out another wail, fear, pain, loneliness enveloping him in a cruel grip.

No one cared, no one cared for him, it was all hopeless, everyone _hated _him, they must all _want_ him to die, even his own mother-

----------

Kyoko shifted from her feet to her knees, scooping the shivering bundle up into her arms. He instinctively buried his face into her shoulder, shuddering with each cry, arms locked desperately around her neck.

She gingerly patted him on the back, stroking his black hair, hugging him, carrying him around the pond as he cried.

Finally his cries died off, until a few halting gasps were left, and then silence.

He sighed, exhausted, and lifted his head to see her.

"What's your name?"

----------

"Kyoko." She answered, looking at him. He was cute, undeniably cute, in a weaker way, different than that of her Tohru.

"Kyo…ko…" he echoed, exhaling slowly, as if it pained him.

"What's yours? Hm?" She prodded lightly, cheerfully.

----------

"Akito. Sohma Akito."

"Hmm…Akito…Akito…" she said thoughtfully. "A…ki…to…oh!" She smiled, as if finding the last piece of some puzzle. "I know! I'll call you Akkun!" Kyoko continued excitedly.

"A-kun?"

"No, like Akkun."

"A…?"

"Ak-kun."

"Ak…kun." Akito finished, trying out the word, picturing the kanji.

"Yes!" She praised, hugging him again.

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"AKITO!" A young man's voice interrupted, calling out.

"Shigure!" Akito exclaimed.

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Kyoko set him down gently, kneeling in front of him once more. "I have to leave, Akkun." She leaned forward, hands resting on his frail shoulders. Akito tipped his head back a bit to stare at her. Kyoko bestowed a swift, feather light kiss on his forehead, her long orange hair brushing against his cheek before she was on her feet and running towards the exit.

----------

Shigure stumbled from the trees, coming to a stop behind Akito, hands placed on his knees, panting. "Aki-" he lifted his head and cut off the name.

Akito was was staring off distractedly into the trees, across the pond, the innocent face searching.

Shigure picked him up, cradling the silent head of the house in his arms. A flashing strand of orange hair caught his eye, fare too long to be Kyo Sohma's. He turned his gaze sharply to the vicinity to where Akito's was, but nothing was there.

_----------_

_He was so cute!_ Kyoko crawled out of the crevice, planting her feet down on sidewalk securely before she strolled down the street. _He reminded me a little bit of Spunky, _she thought wistfully to herself.

"I'll have to tell Tohru!"


End file.
